The fool proof way to win a girl's heart
by hannahgrace17
Summary: Ginny is determined to help her older brother steal the heart of the girl of his dreams. Ron shares these fool proof tips with Harry, who uses them to win over a girl's heart as well. Has Ginny ruined her chances with Harry, or solidified them? R/Hr H/G
1. Ginny decides to help

**I don't own Harry Potter. Wa. Thanks for reminding me :)**

**Pairings: Ginny/Harry, Ron/Hermione, and a bit of Neville/Luna**

**This takes place in Ginny's fifth year, Ron, Harry, and Hermione's sixth. We're going to pretend the whole Ron/Lavender thing never happened, mmkay? And I know Harry and Ginny get together sooner in the book, but let's just suspend reality for a minute, shall we? Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy! **

Ginny walked into the Griffyndor common room as Hermione walked out. Hermione gave Ginny a small smile, looking confused and a bit dazed. Ginny continued in, seeing her older brother sitting alone by the fire, calling to his friend, "Okay, then! I'll see you later!" She turned to see Hermione nodding and exiting the room what seemed to be as quickly as possible. Once the door swung shut Ginny heard Ron swear under his breath and hit himself repeatedly on the forehead.

"You're lucky mom's not here to hear you talking like that, or you'd be under a mouth-cleaning spell so fast you wouldn't know what hit you." Ginny teased. She expected a retort from her brother, or at least some sort of response, but he seemed lost in his world of frustration and self-hatred.

"Hey, Ron, what's going on?" Ginny asked.

"I'm a bloody idiot, that's what's going on!" Ron snapped. "I have no idea how to talk to girls. Things sound so good in my head, you know, and then they come out and I realize that, in fact, it was the worst possible thing to have said. And now she's going to think I'm some sort of git, yammering on and on about--"

"She would be right, if you were yammering then the way you are now," interrupted Ginny. "And are you referring to who I think you're referring to?" She asked, looking pointedly at the door Hermione just exited.

Ron looked up at his sister, with a look on his face that was a mix between humility, pain, excitement, and nausea, and nodded. Ginny smiled a little to herself, proud for sensing correctly, and amused at her brother's predicament. The longer she looked at his face, though, it became less and less amusing and more and more pathetic.

The door opened again, and Harry entered, still shivering from being outside in the snow. White flakes still dotted his head and face, melting slowly after coming in contact with the warm room. He smiled and waved at the two red headed siblings who he knew so well, but after seeing Ron turn away, embarrassed, and Ginny, breaking Harry's gaze, place her hand on his shoulder, he tactfully kept walking. Ginny felt a pang in her stomach and, reminded of her six years of unrequited feelings for the dark haired boy who just left the room, felt sudden apathy for her brother,

"You really like her, don't you?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. I really do." Ron responded, gazing into the fire.

"Then I'm going to help you." Ginny stated determinedly. The look on Ron's face changed. At first it was skeptical, but after a moment it turned to grateful, making it even more apparent to Ginny just how desperate he was. "I'm going to help you win Hermione's heart if it's the last thing I do." She finished dramatically, grinning at her brother. He smiled weakly back and they shared a brief, awkward hug before they both departed for their dorms, minds filled with what the next few weeks were going to have in store.

**What do you think? should I keep writing? Review highly appreciated :)**


	2. Chapter one

**Hey! Thank you guys so much for reading my story and for the reviews! They make me happy :)**

Ginny walked purposefully into the common room the next day, seeking out her brother. When she saw him she quickened her pace. He was sitting with Harry, but Hermione didn't seem to be anywhere near, which was lucky for Ginny. She didn't know how many opportunities she was going to have to talk to Ron without Hermione being around, seeing as they were practically inseparable.

As she approached the table the two best friends were sitting at, they craned their necks to get a better look at the peculiar book she was holding in her arms (that's what Ron was straining to look at, anyway.) It was small, pink, and appeared to be in Ginny's handwriting.

"What the heck is that?" Ron asked.

"This, my friend," said Ginny, "is the book that is going to teach you how to get the brainy, quirky, and otherwise insufferable girl of your dreams to fall in love with you."

Ron looked uncomfortable. He gave a meaningful glance at Ginny, then at Harry, trying to convey that his crush on Hermione wasn't exactly common knowledge.

"Ginny, you're talking crazy again. Why would I want a girl to fall in lo–" Ron began, but Harry cut him off.

"Ron, I'm not stupid, you know. I'm your best friend. You think I haven't figured out by now that you want Hermione's body?"

Ron's ears turned red as he mumbled something incoherent, and Ginny giggled as she caught Harry's eye, both of them promptly looking down and blushing as furiously as Ron. Anxious to break the tension, Harry spoke again.

"So, this book must be magic if it can even help Ron! Is it full of instructions on how to make a love potion?"

"Actually, no." Ginny replied, smiling. "This is one of the only books at Hogwarts that doesn't teach magic." she set the book on the table, facing it towards the two boys.

"Ginny Weasley's fool proof way to win a girl's heart?" Ron asked. "This is how I'm going to get Hermione to..." He let his voice fade, obviously still embarrassed.

"Yes. Just read the first chapter for now. I'll be back here tomorrow to start practicing." She turned on her heel and walked away, not giving Ron the chance to spit out, "Practice WHAT?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, incredulous. Then, not seeing what else to do, they slowly opened the book, with a bit of awe in their gazes. At a closer look, they could definitely tell it was Ginny's handwriting. It was fully bound like a real book, though. She really did some legwork. They began to read.

**Chapter One: developing a sufficient foundation**

_The key to getting a girl to fall in love with you is to take it slow. Build up a relationship slowly, make sure she trusts you, then make your move. Chapter one is all about starting to build a foundation on which your relationship can blossom. Be careful, though–don't move too slowly, or you might get stuck in the friend zone!_

_Tip 1: Talk to her. Sounds juvenile, yes, but it's important! Ask her about her. Talk about her likes, her dislikes, her hopes and dreams, and listen. LISTEN. Throw in some things about yourself too, so she can get to know you as well._

_Tip 2: Compliment her. Sincere compliments, please. If you're reading this, you're obviously crazy about the girl, so it shouldn't be too difficult to come up with something._

_Tip 3: Help her. Girls love chivalry. Don't treat her like she's 2 and can't manage anything on her own, but if you see her struggling with something you're good at, lend a hand. Open the door for her. Be polite._

_Tip 4: Be nice to her friends. They mean a lot to her, and if they don't like you, chances are she'll listen to them and move on. Be careful, don't let it seem like you like her friends, or she'll back off. You know, girl code and all that._

_Good luck! I suggest practicing and perfecting these tips for 1 to 2 weeks, and once they are solidified, move on to chapter 2!_

Ron shut the book, his eyes wide.

"I can't believe Ginny wrote that. Ginny, my little sister!" Ron looked at Harry. Harry couldn't tell if Ron was disgusted or impressed. It seemed a little bit of both.

"Merlin, you're right. But that stuff, it makes sense. You ought to try it!" Harry said.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Wait, Ginny said she'd be back tomorrow, to practice! What do you think she's going to do?" Ron asked, gaping. Harry shrugged sympathetically.

"Sorry mate, I have no idea. I'm just glad I don't have to do it."

"Oh, no, no, no. You're coming with me, Harry. There is no way in hell I'm going through this–with my baby sister no less–by myself." Ron said fiercely.

Harry sighed and nodded his head, wondering what 'practicing' with Ginny entailed. He got butterflies in his stomach just thinking about it.


	3. Developing a sufficient foundation

**Wow!! so many reviews! Thank you guys so much, seriously, they mean the world to me! Complete motivation to keep writing! I'm digging this story so far, I'm not going to lie, it's one of my favorites!**

Harry and Ron made their way to the common room with nervous stomachs and terrified minds. They had battled the Dark Lord numerous times, but that didn't seem to even compare with the task looming ahead of them. When they saw Ginny sitting patiently at a table, looking bemused, they were tempted to change direction and run. They looked at each other for a brief moment, then Ron nodded resolutely and they made their way towards the seemingly innocent red haired girl.

She smiled up at them when they approached.

"Hey, Ron! Harry, I take it you'll be continuing in the course, too?" She asked, obviously loving her new role as teacher and mentor. Harry nodded at her mutely, so she continued while he and Ron sat down. "Did you two read the chapter I assigned you yesterday?" she questioned. Again, the two boys did nothing but nod. "Good. Were there any questions?" Only then did Ron look up.

"Yeah, Ginny, I've got one, but it's not exactly about the chapter. When you say practice, you don't mean..." He struggled for a moment, before changing directions. "What DO you mean?"

Ginny tried her best to maintain a serious face.

"Well, big brother, you can't expect me to throw you to the front lines before you've even had a chance to master your weapon!" This analogy was obviously lost on Ron, so she started again, her serious face being a thing of the past. "How can you expect to win over Hermione if you can't even talk to your own sister without making a complete ass out of yourself?" She finished bluntly.

When neither of them responded, she plowed on. "So, here we go. Ron, pretend I'm Hermione." He looked absolutely repulsed at this idea.

"I need to ponder what I read in the chapter a little more, Harry can go first." Ron said, trying his best not to glance at his friend, who he knew would be shooting him looks that could kill.

"All right, then," continued Ginny, "Harry, pretend I'm..." She faltered, and also looked away from him, feeling a blush creep over her face. "...Well, you know, someone you like." She tried her best not to let the pain she felt show as she said these tell-all words. Harry also looked distraught, and she couldn't see why, but when he muttered under his breath she could have sworn she heard the words, "That won't be difficult." She shook herself and tried her best to bring back her nonchalant tone.

"Now. Remember what the instructions said. Talk about her, but make sure you talk about yourself, too, so she's not bored to tears."

Harry drew a deep breath. Willing himself not to seem an idiot in front of Ginny, he plunged in.

"So, erm...Ginny. What do you like? Dislike? What are your hopes and dreams?" He asked, trying his best to seem charming. Judging from Ron's snort, and the look on Ginny's face his attempt was futile.

"Uh...no." Ginny said, trying to be tactful. "I see you read the chapter, and perhaps memorized it, but if your heart isn't in it your girl will see right through you." Her eyes never left Harry's, and it felt to him as though Ginny was seeing through him right then. He desperately hoped he was imagining it, because if she was she would undoubtedly see his reaction to her unknowingly referring to herself as 'his girl.' To his relief she kept talking, seeming not to notice.

"Here. Pay attention." She cleared her throat before beginning again. "So, Harry, the big quidditch game against Slytherin is coming up! How are you feeling about it?" She asked, looking at him expectantly.

"Oh...erm...good. Should be good." Harry choked out, and shrugged, realizing he was being pathetic.

"Oh, Harry. No." Ginny shook her head affectionately. "Never use one word answers that force her to struggle to come up with a reply. This is your time to be confident and charming. Everyone knows your fantastic at quidditch, and if she brings it up, feel free to flaunt it!" His stomach flipped at her sly compliment, and he felt his mojo building. She started again.

"Are you worried about the quidditch game this week, Harry? Slytherin's pretty good this year." This time Harry's response was much quicker.

"Oh, no. I'm not worried at all. With Malfoy as seeker, We'd be able to beat them with both hands tied to our brooms." He smiled confidently, before adding with a slight wink, "I hope you'll come out and see it, then there'd be no way we could lose."

Ginny's jaw dropped, and even Ron looked impressed. Harry himself was surprised at the smoothness that just poured out of him. He must have inherited more than just looks from his father, after all.

"Wow, Harry," said Ginny, flushed. "Impressive. Maybe you can help Mr. Ponder-the-chapter-more for a while, I've got to run." She said, standing up. "Ron, seeing as you're obviously not going to let me help you, I'm going to send some practice targets your way. Try not to be too much of an idiot, and tell me how it went tonight at dinner." She walked away, stopping briefly to call over her shoulder, "Bye!"

Ron waved indifferently, but Harry just sat gazing after her. He was snapped out of his daydream by Ron snapping in his face.

"Are you okay, mate?" He asked, not waiting for his reply. "Boy, you were good. If you were really after Ginny, you'd have her in the palm of your hand. Now you've just got to figure out how to use it on a girl you're actually interested in!" He slapped him on the back.

Harry nodded, not wanting Ron to know his secret quite yet. "You can do it too. All you need is a little pressure." Ron scoffed, but Harry saw just the 'practice target' he was looking for. "Oi, Hermione!" He called across the common room, ignoring a dead arm and multiple death threats courtesy of Ron Weasley. She came over to them, smiling, and sat down.

"Hey, guys." She said, turning her attention to the stack of books next to her, starting her homework early, as usual. Harry nudged Ron in the ribs. Ron swore under his breath before making his move.

"Hey Hermione, you look..." _Crap_. Ron thought, silently. _I should have thought this one out more. Of course she looks beautiful, she always does, but it'd be just a bit obvious if I said it right now, wouldn't it? But what else can I say?_ Realizing how long he had been pausing, he looked up to see Hermione looking at him with her eyebrows raised, smiling slightly. He panicked, saying the first thing that came to his head, which unfortunately was, "Homework-y" Her smile turned into a confused frown. He kicked himself silently. That was definitely not the right thing to say. Harry kicked him then, literally, forcing him back into the real world.

"Nice, is what I mean to say." He said, feeling strangely relieved. "You look very nice." He forced a tentative smile, and while the look of confusion didn't leave Hermione's face, the frown did.

"Well...thank you, Ronald." She said. "I, uh...I'd better go now. There's a library book I need to check out for this assignment." She picked up her books and left, with one backwards glance to Ron.

As soon as she was safely out of sight he put his head on the table, praying it was all a dream. Harry looked at him sympathetically.

"It could have been worse, mate." He said, picking up his friend by the arm and beginning to drag him out of the common room to go eat breakfast. "You made progress! By the end you were able to spit out a real compliment. Soon you'll be able to do it in under ten minutes." He chuckled, but Ron merely groaned, dreading the conversation with Ginny awaiting him that night.


	4. Ready for chapter 2

**Oh gosh, you guys. I'm sorry, I know I haven't posted in forever It's just that school started a few weeks ago and I ve been struggling to get used to my schedule and actually having stuff to do :). This post is a little short, too, but I haven't forgotten you, I promise.**

**Also, I'm really sorry about the first time I posted this. Something went seriously wrong with all of my quotation marks and apostrophes and well....just about everything :) It's all better though, no worries.**

**Oh, yeah, and I don t own Harry Potter. Awesome.**

The library was empty besides the one person Ginny was looking for. This didn't surprise Ginny, but pleased her nonetheless. She walked casually over to Hermione and sat down, pulling out her potions homework which she had no intention of working on.

"Oh, hello Ginny. How are you?" Hermione asked conversationally.

"Hi, Hermione. I m doing well, but why are you in here? I thought we were going to study in the common room." Ginny asked.

"Oh, no Ginny, I totally forgot. I'm so sorry. I was there, but I started talking to Ron and Harry, and Ron started acting really strangely. I couldn't exactly concentrate, and I forgot I was meeting you." She said with a lost expression on her face. Ginny feigned innocence.

"Strangely? But Ron is always strange. What could he possibly have done that was even more abnormal than usual?" Ginny joked, but Hermione s eyes stayed deep in thought.

"Not what he did as much as what he said, and how he said it, I suppose." Hermione said slowly, and Ginny gasped.

"He didn't tell you, did he? Not already? That would ruin EVERYTHING!" She shrieked. Hermione's state of confusion increased.

"Tell me what? What are you talking about, Ginny?" Hermione demanded. Ginny stood up quickly, sure she would make things worse if she stayed.

"Oh, er...nothing. Well, I'm going to go practice quidditch...or something." Ginny said as quickly as possible before booking it out the door.  
Hermione sat, suddenly alone again, thinking about what happened.

_What was Ginny talking about? She couldn't possibly mean...Ron only sees me as a friend, right?_ She inquired of herself. _Three years of wishful thinking must finally be taking a toll on my brain._ She told herself._ Simply my imagination._ She shook herself, and made a valiant effort to get back to work. When that failed she decided to get something to eat.

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Ron sat at the Griffyndor table eating his lunch, getting a tongue lashing from Ginny a little earlier than expected. He wasn't sure how she found out about his idiocy, but half of him was glad he didn't have to tell her about it himself. He tuned out most of her lecture. He already knew what a fool he had been, he didn't need to hear Ginny elaborate on it. He barely noticed her get up in exasperation, leaving him alone. He sat in silence for a few minutes, eating his fill, but his peace was disturbed shortly after. The bite of sandwhich he was swallowing got caught in his throat when he saw her. Hermione came breezing through the doors of the great hall. She seemed distracted, so Ron attempted calling at her, forgetting about the food lodged in his windpipe. He coughed violently, trying to gain control of himself in time to maintain a shred of dignity. She giggled slightly before walking over to him.

"Ron, haven't I told you you need to eat slower? You're going to choke yourself to death one of these days." She scolded, smiling at him.

"Nah, I'm not worried," he said, after taking a long sip of water, "I'll be fine as long as you're there to perform the heimlich maneuver on me if I ever get close."

"I guess I'll just have to stay with you forever, then, won't I?" Hermione said without thinking, realizing the insinuation too late. She saw Ron blush and look away, and felt herself mimicking him. She hurried to change the subject.

"So...the prefects meeting to plan the winter ball is tonight..."

"Oh, right," said Ron, grateful for the awkward moment finally passing. "That should be interesting. At least if we get to help plan it it won t be completely lame."

"Definitely." Hermione agreed. "I just hope it turns out better than last year. But with Krum not around I don t know who I'll go with." She hinted, avoiding Ron s gaze. They sat in silence for a moment, Ron working up his courage and Hermione silently cursing herself for being so obvious, before Ron finally spoke.

"Hermione, maybe...you know, since we re both prefects and we have to go early to decorate, we could go--only if you want to of course-- maybe...together?" He said, waiting to look up until after he finished his speech, terrified to look at her face. When he looked at her, however, she was smiling.

"Sure, Ronald, that'd be lovely." _Lovely?_ She rolled her eyes at herself, but Ron didn't seem to mind her out-dated lingo. He jumped out of his chair more conspicuously than he meant too, stuttering goodbyes in an excited tone. She laughed again, she couldn't help but laugh around him, and waved goodbye, started to pick at the food that had appeared on her plate. She wasn't quite as hungry anymore, though.

Ginny smiled to herself behind the door to the great hall. Ron was ready for chapter two.


	5. Author's note

Hey, everyone! I know it seems that I have deserted this story, and I totally don't blame anyone for leaving, but…long story short, I'm back! It would be wondrous to know if anyone is still interested in this story, and if there is any feedback I would love to hear it! I'm working on more chapters as we speak, so stay tuned! Thanks everyone!


	6. Making her notice you in a new light

"No, no, no! Come on, Ron, this isn't that difficult," Ginny said, exasperated.

"Maybe for you it isn't, you wrote the stupid thing. And maybe it wouldn't be so difficult for me if I didn't have to practice on my little sister!" He responded, obviously frazzled.

"I told you, Ron, Harry has detention with professor Snape tonight. And we need to work now or else you'll run out of time to complete the course before the Winter Ball. So, sorry if this is weird for you, but if you really want Hermione you're just going to have to suck it up." She said it with a tone of finality that made Ron turn back to the book they were studying. The page they were turned to read:

_Chapter two: Making her notice you in a new light. _

_Now, this chapter may be a little out of your comfort zone, but don't let it scare you! This is a bold but necessary step in winning over the girl of your dreams. If you want her, you can't expect things to work out on their own. Sometimes, you need to figure out how to put some ideas in her head that wouldn't have been there otherwise. If never realizes you're trying to woo her, she can't reciprocate._

_So, to begin: there is this thing called flirting. For some, it is a harmless activity to pursue with anyone and everyone (cough, Pavarti Patil, cough), but in your case, it is the key to sending the proper signals for the subject of your affection to pick up on._

_It is important that you continue carefully and tactfully through this section, because if you are too hot or too cold at this point, it can do some serious damage you'll have to make up for later. For those of you unfamiliar with the art that is flirting, here are a few guidelines:_

_Word Choice. There is a difference between a "we should be great friends," conversation and a "we belong together," conversation, even if they are composed of the same ideas. There is a certain way in which you say things that you now must be aware of. Instead of saying, "You are really good at charms," say, "You never stop impressing me with your charms skills." And, while you're at it, add something funny—yet flattering—such as "No wonder you always have me charmed." As corny as it seems, if the root of the compliment is sincere, girls will love it. Use every chance you get to use your words to flirt._

_Eye contact. When you are talking to a girl, look at her. In her eyes, please. Sometimes, a face can become so usual, so commonplace, you forget to stop and look at it. Catching—and holding—her gaze will cause her to break away from that habit, and start to look back. It is said that your eyes are the windows to your soul. If you let your soul do the talking, and not your mouth, you're a lot less likely to sound like an idiot. Also, looking into her eyes will make you seem more interested, attentive, and caring._

_Physical contact. You need to put romantic thoughts in her head in inconspicuous ways. If you touch her hand the right way, she's going to imagine you holding it. If you brush her hair off her face, she'll picture you leaning in for a kiss. But be too obvious, and she'll be caught off guard, and go into panic mode. You have to remain unfazed, and move on with the situation like normal, so that she'll think the ideas were created in her own mind, instead of being planted there. Once she starts thinking about physical contact with you, she won't be able to stop. And the more she thinks about it, the more likely she is to notice her feelings for you. _

_Similary to number physical contact is emotional contact. Say things that will make her think of the possibility of having you as a boyfriend. Mention things you find romantic, point out how you might treat a girl one day, or talk about what is important to you in a relationship. _

"So," said Ginny, "What's next. Oh, that's right, Physical Contact. This is an important one, Ron, so pay attention."

Ron's face greened a little, and he said, "Please, please, Ginny. How on earth can I reenact on—er—Hermione what I practiced on you. That's all I'll be able to think about! Don't make me do this."

Ginny sighed, but was internally relieved. She didn't want to flirt with Ron as much as he didn't want to flirt with her, but she promised she would help, and heaven knows he needed the practice. She jumped a little when the door to the common room slammed shut as Dean Thomas walked in. A smile dawned on her face, and she turned to Ron and said, "Alright. Fine. I'll show you an example. You might want to take notes."

She stood up and walked slowly to Dean. Her back was to Ron when she reached Dean, and the look on confusion on his face changed to understanding when she muttered, "Play along. I'm teaching Ron a little something to help with his girl trouble." Dean knew all about Ron's feelings for Hermione, so his lips curled into a small smile when thinking about just how Ginny might be helping him.

"So, how are you, Dean?" She said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "How've you been?" She questioned, running her hand down his arm.

"Um…pretty good," he replied, "just came back from Care of Magical Creatures."

"Oh, really?" she looked interested. "I heard the sixth years worked with some of Hagrid's chickens today, something about feeding them to the thestrals?" He nodded, and then she took his hand in hers, "I also hear they pecked pretty hard. Did they get you at all?" She pushed up his sleeve, running her fingers over a couple of scars on his hand and forearm. Dean's face was a mix between curiosity, bemusement, and nothing short of arousal. Ginny put his hand down, thanked him quietly then walked back over to her brother and sat down.

"There. Did you have any questions?" She asked, smiling slyly.

"No. None at all. Can I go now?" He asked, already standing up.

"Fine," she said, "but remember, I'm doing this to help you! So practice! Preferably on you-know-who!" By this time he was halfway out of the common room door, waving his hand at her in acknowledgment.

When Ron reached the hallway he noticed Harry, his back turned to him.

"What's up, mate? What are you doing out here?" Ron questioned.

"Oh, n-n-nothing. I just got back from detention, that's all. Wanna go over some quiddich plays?" Harry responded, distracted.

"You know it," Ron replied, turning and walking down the corridor. Harry followed, shaking his head. He had only stepped into the common room for a moment, but it had been enough. How long had Ginny had feelings for Dean? For a moment he actually thought she was still interested in him. Ron slung his arm around Harry's shoulder, saying something about new keeping strategies, but Harry didn't hear him. He was busy thinking of something—anything-to get the image of Ginny holding Dean's hand in her own of his head.


End file.
